tales of the fish patrol-第4章

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with　him。〃



〃Yes；〃　Charley　answered　softly；　〃I've　heard　that　it　pays　better　to

leave　him　alone。〃



This　was　a　direct　thrust　at　Carmintel；　and　we　could　see　by　the

expression　of　his　face　that　it　sank　home。　　For　it　was　common

knowledge　that　Big　Alec　was　as　willing　to　bribe　as　to　fight；　and

that　of　late　years　more　than　one　patrolman　had　handled　the

fisherman's　money。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　…　〃　Carmintel　began；　in　a　bullying　tone。



But　Charley　cut　him　off　shortly。　　〃I　mean　to　say　nothing；〃　he　said。

〃You　heard　what　I　said；　and　if　the　cap　fits；　why　…　〃



He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　Carmintel　glowered　at　him；

speechless。



〃What　we　want　is　imagination；〃　Charley　said　to　me　one　day；　when　we

had　attempted　to　creep　upon　Big　Alec　in　the　gray　of　dawn　and　had

been　shot　at　for　our　trouble。



And　thereafter；　and　for　many　days；　I　cudgelled　my　brains　trying　to

imagine　some　possible　way　by　which　two　men；　on　an　open　stretch　of

water；　could　capture　another　who　knew　how　to　use　a　rifle　and　was

never　to　be　found　without　one。　　Regularly；　every　slack　water；

without　slyness；　boldly　and　openly　in　the　broad　day；　Big　Alec　was

to　be　seen　running　his　line。　　And　what　made　it　particularly

exasperating　was　the　fact　that　every　fisherman；　from　Benicia　to

Vallejo　knew　that　he　was　successfully　defying　us。　　Carmintel　also

bothered　us；　for　he　kept　us　busy　among　the　shad…fishers　of　San

Pablo；　so　that　we　had　little　time　to　spare　on　the　King　of　the

Greeks。　　But　Charley's　wife　and　children　lived　at　Benicia；　and　we

had　made　the　place　our　headquarters；　so　that　we　always　returned　to

it。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　we　can　do；〃　I　said；　after　several　fruitless

weeks　had　passed；　〃we　can　wait　some　slack　water　till　Big　Alec　has

run　his　line　and　gone　ashore　with　the　fish；　and　then　we　can　go　out

and　capture　the　line。　　It　will　put　him　to　time　and　expense　to　make

another；　and　then　we'll　figure　to　capture　that　too。　　If　we　can't

capture　him；　we　can　discourage　him；　you　see。〃



Charley　saw；　and　said　it　wasn't　a　bad　idea。　　We　watched　our　chance；

and　the　next　low…water　slack；　after　Big　Alec　had　removed　the　fish

from　the　line　and　returned　ashore；　we　went　out　in　the　salmon　boat。

We　had　the　bearings　of　the　line　from　shore　marks；　and　we　knew　we

would　have　no　difficulty　in　locating　it。　　The　first　of　the　flood

tide　was　setting　in；　when　we　ran　below　where　we　thought　the　line

was　stretched　and　dropped　over　a　fishing…boat　anchor。　　Keeping　a

short　rope　to　the　anchor；　so　that　it　barely　touched　the　bottom；　we

dragged　it　slowly　along　until　it　stuck　and　the　boat　fetched　up　hard

and　fast。



〃We've　got　it；〃　Charley　cried。　　〃Come　on　and　lend　a　hand　to　get　it

in。〃



Together　we　hove　up　the　rope　till　the　anchor　I　came　in　sight　with

the　sturgeon　line　caught　across　one　of　the　flukes。　　Scores　of　the

murderous…looking　hooks　flashed　into　sight　as　we　cleared　the

anchor；　and　we　had　just　started　to　run　along　the　line　to　the　end

where　we　could　begin　to　lift　it；　when　a　sharp　thud　in　the　boat

startled　us。　　We　looked　about；　but　saw　nothing　and　returned　to　our

work。　　An　instant　later　there　was　a　similar　sharp　thud　and　the

gunwale　splintered　between　Charley's　body　and　mine。



〃That's　remarkably　like　a　bullet；　lad；〃　he　said　reflectively。　　〃And

it's　a　long　shot　Big　Alec's　making。〃



〃And　he's　using　smokeless　powder；〃　he　concluded；　after　an

examination　of　the　mile…distant　shore。　　〃That's　why　we　can't　hear

the　report。〃



I　looked　at　the　shore；　but　could　see　no　sign　of　Big　Alec；　who　was

undoubtedly　hidden　in　some　rocky　nook　with　us　at　his　mercy。　　A

third　bullet　struck　the　water；　glanced；　passed　singing　over　our

heads；　and　struck　the　water　again　beyond。



〃I　guess　we'd　better　get　out　of　this；〃　Charley　remarked　coolly。

〃What　do　you　think；　lad？〃



I　thought　so；　too；　and　said　we　didn't　want　the　line　anyway。

Whereupon　we　cast　off　and　hoisted　the　spritsail。　　The　bullets

ceased　at　once；　and　we　sailed　away；　unpleasantly　confident　that　Big

Alec　was　laughing　at　our　discomfiture。



And　more　than　that；　the　next　day　on　the　fishing　wharf；　where　we

were　inspecting　nets；　he　saw　fit　to　laugh　and　sneer　at　us；　and　this

before　all　the　fishermen。　　Charley's　face　went　black　with　anger；

but　beyond　promising　Big　Alec　that　in　the　end　he　would　surely　land

him　behind　the　bars；　he　controlled　himself　and　said　nothing。　　The

King　of　the　Greeks　made　his　boast　that　no　fish　patrol　had　ever

taken　him　or　ever　could　take　him；　and　the　fishermen　cheered　him　and

said　it　was　true。　　They　grew　excited；　and　it　looked　like　trouble

for　a　while；　but　Big　Alec　asserted　his　kingship　and　quelled　them。



Carmintel　also　laughed　at　Charley；　and　dropped　sarcastic　remarks；

and　made　it　hard　for　him。　　But　Charley　refused　to　be　angered；

though　he　told　me　in　confidence　that　he　intended　to　capture　Big

Alec　if　it　took　all　the　rest　of　his　life　to　accomplish　it。



〃I　don't　know　how　I'll　do　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　it　I　will；　as　sure

as　I　am　Charley　Le　Grant。　　The　idea　will　come　to　me　at　the　right

and　proper　time；　never　fear。〃



And　at　the　right　time　it　came；　and　most　unexpectedly。　　Fully　a

month　had　passed；　and　we　were　constantly　up　and　down　the　river；　and

down　and　up　the　bay；　with　no　spare　moments　to　devote　to　the

particular　fisherman　who　ran　a　Chinese　line　in　the　bight　of

Turner's　Shipyard。　　We　had　called　in　at　Selby's　Smelter　one

afternoon；　while　on　patrol　work；　when　all　unknown　to　us　our

opportunity　happened　along。　　It　appeared　in　the　guise　of　a　helpless

yacht　loaded　with　seasick　people；　so　we　could　hardly　be　expected　to

recognize　it　as　the　opportunity。　　It　was　a　large　sloop…yacht；　and

it　was　helpless　inasmuch　as　the　trade…wind　was　blowing　half　a　gale

and　there　were　no　capable　sailors　aboard。



From　the　wharf　at　Selby's　we　watched　with　careless　interest　the

lubberly　manoeuvre　performed　of　bringing　the　yacht　to　anchor；　and

the　equally　lubberly　manoeuvre　of　sending　the　small　boat　ashore。　　A

very　miserable…looking　man　in　draggled　ducks；　after　nearly　swamping

the　boat　in　the　heavy　seas；　passed　us　the　painter　and　climbed　out。

He　staggered　about　as　though　the　wharf　were　rolling；　and　told　us

his　troubles；　which　were　the　troubles　of　the　yacht。　　The　only

rough…weather　sailor　aboard；　the　man　on　whom　they　all　depended；　had

been　called　back　to　San　Francisco　by　a　telegram；　and　they　had

attempted　to　continue　the　cruise　alone。　　The　high　wind　and　big　seas

of　San　Pablo　Bay　had　been　too　much　for　them；　all　hands　were　sick；

nobody　knew　anything　or　could　do　anything；　and　so　they　had　run　in

to　the　smelter　either　to　desert　the　yacht　or　to　get　somebody　to

bring　it　to　Benicia。　　In　short；　did　we　know　of　any　sailors　who

would　bring　the　yacht　into　Benicia？



Charley　looked　at　me。　　The　Reindeer　was　lying　in　a　snug　place。　　We

had　nothing　on　hand　in　the　way　of　patrol　work　till　midnight。　　With

the　wind　then　blowing；　we　could　sail　the　yacht　into　Benicia　in　a

couple　of　hours；　have　several　more　hours　ashore；　and　come　back　to

the　smelter　on　the　evening　train。



〃All　right；　captain；〃　Charley　said　to　the　disconsolate　yachtsman；

who　smiled　in　sickly　fashion　at　the　title。



〃I'm　only　the　owner；〃　he　explained。



We　rowed　him　aboard　in　much　better　style　than　he　had　come　ashore；

and　saw　for　ourselves　the　helplessness　of　the　passengers。　　There

were　a　dozen　men　and　women；　and　all　of　them　too　sick　even　to　appear

grateful　at　our　coming。　　The　yacht　was　rolling　savagely；　broad　on；

and　no　sooner　had　the　owner's　feet　touched　the　deck　than　he

collapsed　and　joined；　the　others。　　Not　one　was　able　to　bear　a　hand；

so　Charley　and　I　between　us　cleared　the　badly　tangled　running　gear；

got　up　sail；　and　hoisted　anchor。



It　was　a　rough　trip；　though　a　swift　one。　　The　Carquinez　Straits

were　a　welter　of　foam　and　smother；　and　we　came　through　them　wildly

before　the　wind；　the　big　mainsail　alternately　dipping　and　flinging

its　boom　skyward　as　we　tore　along。　　But　the　people　did　not　mind。

They　did　not　mind　anything。　　Two　or　three；　including　the　owner；

sprawled　in　the　cockpit；　shuddering　when　the　yacht　lifted　and　raced

and　sank　dizzily　into　the　trough；　and　between…whiles　regarding　the

shore　with　yearning　eyes。　　The　rest　were　huddled　on　the　cabin　floor

among　the　cushions。　　Now　and　again　some　one　groaned；　but　for　the

most　part　they　were　as　limp　as　so　many　dead　persons。



As　the　bight　at　Turner's　Shipyard　opened　out；　Charley　edged　into　it

to　get　the　smoother　water。　　Benicia　was　in　view；　and　we　were

bowling　along　over　comparatively　easy　water；　when　a　speck　of　a　boat

danced　up　ahead　of　us；　directly　in　our　course。　　It　was　low…water

slack。　　Charley　and　I　looked　at　each　other。　　No　word　was　spoken；

but　at　once　the　yacht　began　a　most　astonishing　performance；　veering

and　yawing　as　though　the　greenest　of　amateurs　was　at　the　wheel。　　It

was　a　sight　for　sailormen　to　see。　　To　all　appearances；　a　runaway

yacht　was　careering　madly　over　the　bight；　and　now　and　again

yielding　a　little　bit　to　control　in　a　desperate　effort　to　make

Benicia。



The　owner　forgot　his　seasickness　long　enough　to　look　anxious。　　The

speck　of　a　boat　grew　larger　and　larger；　till　we　could　see　Big　Alec

and　his　partner；　with　a　turn　of　the　sturgeon　line　around　a　cleat；

resting　from　their　labor　to　laugh　at　us。　　Charley　pulled　his

sou'wester　over　his　eyes；　and　I　followed　his　example；　though　I

could　not　guess　the　idea　he　evidently　had　in　mind　and　intended　to

carry　into　execution。



We　came　foaming　down　abreast　of　the　skiff；　so　close　that　we　could

hear　above　the　wind　the　voices　of　Big　Alec　and　his　mate　as　they

shouted　at　us　with　all　the　scorn　that　professional　watermen　feel

for　amateurs；　especially　when　amateurs　are　making　fools　of

themselves。



We　thundered　on　past　the　fishermen；　and　nothing　had　happened。

Charley　grinned　at　the　disappointment　he　saw　in　my　face；　and　then

shouted：



〃Stand　by　the　main…sheet　to　jibe！〃



He　put　the　wheel　hard　over；　and　the　yacht　whirled　around

obediently。　　The　main…sheet　slacked　and　dipped；　then　shot　over　our

heads　after　the　boom　and　tautened　with　a　crash　on　the　traveller。

The　yacht　heeled　over　almost　on　her　beam　ends；　and　a　great　wail

went　up　from　the　seasick　passengers　as　they　swept　across　the　cabin

floor　in　a　tangled　mass　and　piled　into　a　heap　in　the　starboard

bunks。



But　we　had　no　time　for　them。　　The　yacht；　completing　the　manoeuvre；

headed　into　the　wind　with　slatting　canvas；　and　righted　to　an　even

keel。　　We　were　still　plunging　ahead；　and　directly　in　our　path　was

the　skiff。　　I　saw　Big　Alec　dive　overboard　and　his　mate　leap　for　our

bowsprit。　　Then　came　the　crash　as　we　struck　the　boat；　and　a　series

of　grinding　bumps　as　it　passed　under　our　bottom。



〃That　fixes　his　rifle；〃　I　heard　Charley　mutter；　as　he　sprang　upon

the　deck　to　look　for　Big　Alec　somewhere　astern。



The　wind　and　sea　quickly　stopped　our　forward　movement；　and　we　began

to　drift　backward　over　the　spot　where　the　skiff　had　been。　　Big

Alec's　black　h